Midweek already. How the time does fly. Admittedly I think that was the fault of Monday being thrown off balance. Anytime i lose a Monday the week just sort of feels chopped. And yes I know next week features a Monday Holiday so having two odd weeks in a row will be interesting. But I will survive it, even if I am shocked by the arrival of June. So let’s get working while we can. Ready for the morning prompt? Great, then let’s go.
Okay, I like this one. No clue how it is going to play out, but I like it.
Wednesday, May 25th: Confetti rained down upon her.
Confetti rained down upon her. She looked up, eyes following the multi-colored bits of paper. She thought of the letter in her backpack and wondered how they had known. She hadn’t told anyone about the application. It was a long shot and one that she hardly dared hope would be approved. She didn’t want anyone disappointed if she lost and she wasn’t entirely certain she wanted them to make a fuss if she was accepted. Seeing the colored paper spiraling through the air, she thought a little recognition was nice. It so rarely came her way.
Not that she didn’t have achievements, but her achievements weren’t exactly the type her family cheered for. Those were usually reserved for her sister.
“Congratulat…,” her mother’s voice trailed off. “Oh Emma, you’ve gone and spoiled it.”
Emma frowned. The door opening and closing behind her caused her to turn.
“Darla!,” their mother exclaimed. “There you are. We just heard the news, oh so exciting. Congratulations honey.”
Darla preened, not acknowledging the fact that most of the confetti was already on the floor. Emma slipped to the side, her shoes crunching over the colored bits of paper as Darla accepted the congratulations and adoration of their mother. Darla was escorted through the living room and into the dining room where cake and balloons were located. Emma caught sight of the congratulatory balloons and saw the cake.
‘Ah,” Emma thought. ‘Another pageant win.’
Beauty pageants were something that Darla and their mother shared. They both competed and both won. They both touted the fact that the money from the pageants was a great way to earn money for college, but as far as Emma could see most of the money won, went into buying things for more pageants. In truth Emma’s mother went to college using the money she won in pageants. In her Freshmen year she met and fell in love with their father. She spent winter break planning the wedding and was married by spring, never once looking back.
At one point in time Emma added everything up and realized that if Darla hadn’t gone in for the pageants they would have been able to save up enough money for college.
It wasn’t something she pointed out. Pageants made them both happy. Personally they were Emma’s idea of a nightmare. ‘But I’ll be free of it soon,’ Emma thought. The envelope in her bag fairly glowed with gold. She was soon going to leave. She passed all her exams early and was offered early admittance and a full scholarship to her top school. She went to her room and put her bag away. Knowing her place in the grand scheme of things, Emma then returned to the dining room.
She was just in time as a phone was thrust into her hands and her role as family photographer was enacted. As she snapped pictures of her mother and sister posing, Emma began to plan.
Ten til Midnight 